- HACON project, a group of over two dozen scientists and engineers used an underwater robot to successfully explore a cryptic ocean world.
- On Earth, these active vent fields are profoundly rare realms.
- The first scientific results of this unprecedented deep sea mission, however, may come within six months.
What’s more inaccessible than the deep sea? A deep sea blanketed in a thick shell of ice, says an article published on their mashable website.
HACON project
Yet during a daunting October 2021 mission called the HACON project, a group of over two dozen scientists and engineers used an underwater robot to successfully explore a cryptic ocean world some 13,000 feet beneath the surface of the ice-covered Arctic Ocean.
It was the first time researchers surveyed rare volcanic vents — and the life there — in the remote Arctic.
It’s a challenge, but it can be done
“It opens a new frontier of exploration in the Arctic,” Eva Ramirez-Llodra, a deep sea ecologist for the Norwegian government who co-led the mission, told Mashable. “It’s a challenge, but it can be done.”
It’s a challenge because scientists can’t simply journey to the Arctic and drop a sturdy exploration robot into the water. They use a thick-hulled ship called an icebreaker to plow through packs of floating ice, called ice floes.
And once at their remote destination, scientists must contend with the drifting ice: The ship (containing the exploration robot) is lodged in the ice, but the ice is incessantly moving. This means the windows for deep sea exploration are constantly evolving.
Found windows to lower their new exploration robot
But the exploration team found windows to lower their new exploration robot “Aurora” down into the depths on a tether. Their target was the “Aurora vent field,” a deep sea region teeming with geyser-like vents called “black smokers” that blow hot, dark, volcanic liquid into the water.
Unique life, like snails, worms, and crustaceans thrive on the volcanic chemicals. In a lightless world without energy from the sun, the creatures have no other choice.
Rare realms
On Earth, these active vent fields are profoundly rare realms. All the known active vent areas would fit into just 19 square miles (50 square kilometers), explained Ramirez-Llodra.
That’s less than half the size of San Francisco. “They’re a tiny existence around the world,” she said. “They’re very unique so we need to protect them.”
Protecting them doesn’t just mean exploring and mapping the uncharted vent field at some 13,000 feet down. It also requires finding and sampling what lives there, so scientists can make a case for their protection.
This work is increasingly salient, if not urgent. Nations are preparing to mine the deep sea — with giant tank-like vehicles — for precious metals, which will inevitably destroy life on the seafloor.
Deep sea creatures, A source for future medicines
Down in the ocean, the HACON mission found snails and crustaceans living around the vents, and other critters like shrimp in the greater vent field. The team also took comprehensive samples of life that make up the base of the food web, like tiny worms and microbes.
Crucially, some of these deep sea creatures may produce chemicals that could be a source for future medicines. Already, scientists are testing marine chemicals for uses in the treatment of breast cancer, ovarian cancer, leukemia, and melanoma.
“Systematic searches for new drugs have shown that marine invertebrates produce more antibiotic, anti-cancer, and anti-inflammatory substances than any group of terrestrial organisms,” says the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Unanswered question
With the unprecedented samples collected, the mission’s scientists will now scrutinize the life from this remote deep sea area.
Importantly, they want to know if much of the life around these Arctic black smokers is truly isolated and unique, or if it shares genes (and is “connected”) to deep sea life in the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans.
It’s an unanswered question. But the researchers “expressed high confidence of new discoveries,” which will be announced in the coming few years, and beyond.
The first scientific results of this unprecedented deep sea mission, however, may come within six months, said Ramirez-Llodra.
Did you subscribe to our daily newsletter?
It’s Free! Click here to Subscribe!
Source: mashable.com
swerte99
I am truly thankful to the owner of this web site who has shared this fantastic piece of writing at at this place.
I am truly thankful to the owner of this web site who has shared this fantastic piece of writing at at this place.
I like the efforts you have put in this, regards for all the great content.
Your blog has become my go-to source for positive and uplifting content Thank you for consistently delivering high-quality posts
I love how you incorporate personal stories and experiences into your posts It makes your content relatable and authentic
Good post! We will be linking to this particularly great post on our site. Keep up the great writing
Pretty! This has been a really wonderful post. Many thanks for providing these details.
Hi there to all, for the reason that I am genuinely keen of reading this website’s post to be updated on a regular basis. It carries pleasant stuff.
There is definately a lot to find out about this subject. I like all the points you made
Awesome! Its genuinely remarkable post, I have got much clear idea regarding from this post
Short-lived, Low-cost Servers There is no bidding, and we don’t take Spot Servers away unless we lack on-demand server capacity. If your application can withstand possible server deprivation, Spot Servers will help you save a fortune.
Insightful content! These details are crucial. Dive deeper at https://tinyurl.com/totomidas-toto-midas-togel
Insightful content! These details are crucial. Dive deeper at https://tinyurl.com/totomidas-toto-midas-togel
Your blog post was fantastic, thanks for the great content!
Pretty! This has been a really wonderful post. Many thanks for providing these details.
Your writing style is so engaging and easy to read It makes it a pleasure to read your blog and I always look forward to your new posts
Its like you read my mind! You appear to know a lot about this, like you wrote the book in it or something. I think that you could do with some pics to drive the message home a little bit, but instead of that, this is fantastic blog. An excellent read. I will certainly be back.
Good post! We will be linking to this particularly great post on our site. Keep up the great writing
Hi there to all, for the reason that I am genuinely keen of reading this website’s post to be updated on a regular basis. It carries pleasant stuff.
Keputusan yang tepat pak. Mudah2an menjadi jalan yang baik untuk kita semua. Aamiin
Your blog post had me hooked from the first sentence.
This blog post is worth the read – trust us!
I appreciate you sharing this blog post. Thanks Again. Cool.
I can’t get enough of your insightful articles and engaging stories. Thank you for sharing your passion with the world!
FastComet Cloud VPS Hosting From $46.16 /month
What type of content would you like to see more of in the future? Let us know in the comments!
Enjoy PREMIUM Reseller Hosting provided by KnownHost! Backed by a state of the art distributed Cloud architecture, you get all of the features and none of the fuss! Contact KnownHost today to get 50% off your first invoice!
Wow, this blogger is seriously impressive!
Enjoy quick and easy access to the best music collection at https://mp3lite.com! Download now and let the music flow.
I admire how this blog promotes kindness and compassion towards ourselves and others We could all use a little more of that in our lives
This blog is a great mix of informative and entertaining content It keeps me engaged and interested from start to finish
Discover cool videos and save them directly to your device! Visit https://allvideosaver.net/ for a more flexible and convenient watching experience.
Good post! We will be linking to this particularly great post on our site. Keep up the great writing
Your latest blog post was truly inspiring and had some great insights. I can’t wait to see what else you have in store.
I appreciate how this blog promotes self-love and self-care It’s important to prioritize our well-being and your blog reminds me of that
Thank you for creating such valuable content. Your hard work and dedication are appreciated by so many.
Pretty! This has been a really wonderful post. Many thanks for providing these details.
Nice post. I learn something totally new and challenging on websites
I am truly thankful to the owner of this web site who has shared this fantastic piece of writing at at this place.
Thank you for creating such valuable content. Your hard work and dedication are appreciated by so many.
very informative articles or reviews at this time.
very informative articles or reviews at this time.
I just like the helpful information you provide in your articles
I am truly thankful to the owner of this web site who has shared this fantastic piece of writing at at this place.
Hi there to all, for the reason that I am genuinely keen of reading this website’s post to be updated on a regular basis. It carries pleasant stuff.
This is really interesting, You’re a very skilled blogger. I’ve joined your feed and look forward to seeking more of your magnificent post. Also, I’ve shared your site in my social networks!
Good post! We will be linking to this particularly great post on our site. Keep up the great writing
I like the efforts you have put in this, regards for all the great content.
I do not even understand how I ended up here, but I assumed this publish used to be great